The Battle of Fredericksburg
December 11-13, 1862

Following Lee's escape from Antietam and Confederate MG "Jeb" Stuart's second sensational cavalry ride (10-12 October - 1,800 horsemen raiding as far north as Chambersburg, PA on 11 October) around George B. McClellan's sluggish Army of the Potomac, President Lincoln relieved the popular (with his troops and many subordinate officers) McClellan from command (5-7 November). It was a political as well as a military move that ended "Little Mac's" career. Lincoln replaced him with the experienced but oft-reluctant (twice he had refused command of the main Union army) MG Ambrose E. Burnside. Also soon after Antietam, GEN Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia (78,000+ men) was refitted and reorganized. James Longstreet and "Stonewall" Jackson were promoted to the new rank of Lieutenant General (LTG) and given command of the now official I and II Corps, respectively. The latest Union strategic battle plan, of considerable merit and promise, was developed by Burnside. It called for the massive Army of the Potomac (120,000 men - composed of "Grand Divisions" of 2 corps each commanded by MG Edwin V. Sumner - right, MG Joseph Hooker - center, MG William B. Franklin - left, and MG Franz Sigel and MG Henry W. Slocum - reserve corps.) to march on Richmond via Fredericksburg, VA. Fredericksburg was an old southern town with a proud past dating to colonial times. Many prominent Virginia families, including the Lees, traced their heritage to it. Burnside's plan required a quick deployment to Falmouth, on the Rappahannock River opposite Fredericksburg, where pontoons (canvas and wooden floats supporting a temporary plank bridge) would be used to cross the river unopposed. Once across, the Federal army would occupy the lightly defended town before Lee could concentrate his forces - and then, "on to Richmond." It was a good plan that went awry due to logistical bungling. The pontoons arrived a week late (25 November instead of 18 November), giving Lee an opportunity to reinforce, fortify, and consolidate the excellent natural defenses at Marye's Heights (pronounced Marie's) and Prospect Hill, just west and south of the nearby community. On 11-12 December the Army of the Potomac, not fully aware of the strength or the defenses of the Army of Northern Virginia, overcame Confederate sharpshooters and bridged the Rappahannock, occupying Fredericksburg. Federal heavy artillery, strategically positioned above the east bank of the river (Falmouth side) on Stafford Heights, pounded the historic town prior to the crossing; however, these batteries (147+ heavy, rifled cannon), sited to dominate Fredericksburg, could not effectively reach the Confederate defenses on Marye's Heights. This was an ominous and then telling tactical shortcoming on the next day (13 December) when successive ranks of Burnside's great army assaulted Prospect Hill (Franklin's Grand Division - early morning) and, in particular, Marye's Heights (first Sumner's then Hooker's Grand Divisions - late morning and afternoon). Now well-positioned Confederate artillery, firing from revetments, combined with rifled musket volleys from fortified infantry entrenchments. They swept the tightly formed Union regiments advancing, without the adequate support of their own long-range heavy artillery, over open plains west and south of the town on the approaches to Lee's formidable defenses. The greatest carnage of the battle occurred before Marye's Heights where Longstreet's artillery (revetted cannon on the Heights) and infantry (several lines deep along the hidden "Sunken Road" behind a stone wall that appeared low in front of the Heights) devastated brigade after brigade (14 in all) of Federal troops hurtled against the defenses from noon until dusk. Disuaded by his corps commanders from personally leading an attack the next day (14 December), Burnside adroitly withdrew his valiant but battered army, under the protection of his heavy artillery, across the Rappahannock (15-16 December). Lee, expecting the Union army to renew the attacks on 14 December and probably wary of the threatening array of Federal batteries on Stafford Heights, made no attempt to impede Burnside's withdrawal. Yet another "march on Richmond" had been blunted - this time in extremely brutal fashion. Nonetheless, and as before, the Army of the Potomac, though beaten and bewildered, was not destroyed! Estimated Casualties: Union - 12,600; Confederate - 5,300.

Notes:

  1. Numbers in parentheses reflect estimated strength of armies or units.

  2. Estimated casualty figures are totals for killed, wounded, missing in action, and taken prisoner.

  3. Alternative names of battles and campaigns appear in parentheses.

  4. Military and naval rank abbreviations in text: LT - Lieutenant, CPT - Captain, MAJ - Major, LTC - Lieutenant Colonel, CDR - Commander (Navy), COL - Colonel, BG - Brigadier General, MG - Major General, RADM - Rear Admiral (Navy), LTG - Lieutenant General, VADM - Vice Admiral (Navy), and GEN - General.

  5. Army Organization: Although authorized and actual strength and the rank of the commanding officer often varied, the standard military unit during the War was the infantry regiment (1,000 men, COL commanding) which was comprised of 10 companies (100 men each, CPT commanding). 3-4 Regiments = 1 Brigade (3,000-4000 men, BG commanding). 3 (sometimes 4) Brigades = 1 Division (9000-12,000 men, BG or MG commanding). 2-4 (usually 3) Divisions = 1 Corps (18,000-24,000+ men, MG - North and MG or LTG -South commanding). 2 or more Corps = An Army (usually 20,000-100,000+ men - MG, LTG, or GEN commanding). 2 or more Armies = An Army Group (usually 100,000+ men - MG, LTG, or GEN commanding).

Sources:

Photographs courtesy of The Generals of the American Civil War Website.

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